DE2826731A1 - DEVICE FOR CREATING A VARIETY OF MOVING OBJECTS ON A TELEVISION SCREEN - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for generating a large number of moving objects on a television screen, game participants having manual control input elements for determining the movement of said objects actuate.

The invention is on team television entertainment game directed, in which two game participants form a team, and their coordinated efforts are required for this are to bring their score in the game to a maximum value "

Most of the previously known television entertainment games with a large number of game participants are games based on the principle of zero points, ie a player's score is increased by not playing along with the others! ^a ™ n works together.

As disclosed in the patent application P 27 32 4-38.5 by the same applicant, with the designation: "Device for generating a large number of movable objects on a television screen" (filed on July 18, 1977), a motor vehicle is activated by means of "an" accelerator pedal " moves linearly along a street, while a cannon or rifle protrudes from its window, this cannon or rifle is in different angular positions by means of a control lever. This television entertainment game is known under the trademark "COPS N ¹ ROBBERS". Both control-

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organs for each motor vehicle are at a common Place and ground by hand and Ι \ ιβ of a single one Player served. Obviously, the two control elements cannot be operated by two players. This is also a zero point game.

Other television entertainment games, such as those of the kind the racket games with two players in each team, however, require coordinated use of the game by both Members of a team. However, every single hit, tee shot or shot is only the result of the bet from only one player on the team.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a television entertainment game for the use of teams to create in which the coordinated efforts of the players one Team must be used in order to achieve the highest possible score in the game.

The device according to the invention proposed to solve the problem posed is characterized in that that it comprises at least two manual control input devices, which are located at separate locations or operator stations are located, each of which can be operated by at least two teammates who are at separate operator stations to determine the respective movement of two objects are located, and that an interactive device for causing the movement of one of said objects to

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Movement of the other object is provided, with the two game participants forming a team in which their coordinated efforts are required to their Bring your game score to a maximum.

After the above-mentioned task, a Means for generating a plurality of moving objects on a television screen created, the Players operate manually operated control input devices to determine the movements of the objects. There are at least two manually operable control elements at separate locations can be operated by at least two game participants who are at the respective points to determine the corresponding movement of the two objects, one interactive device causes the movement of a predetermined one of the objects to move the other object. The two game participants then form a team, using their joint, coordinated efforts to achieve Achieving the highest possible score in the game are required.

The invention is further explained in detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. It demonstrate:

Fig. 1: a schematic representation of a television entertainment game with the subject matter of the invention according to a first embodiment,

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2: a schematic representation of another television entertainment game with the object of the invention according to a second embodiment, and

3 ″ © in a block diagram of the circuit arrangement used in connection with the embodiments of the television entertainment game.

The television entertainment game illustrated in FIG. ₀ 1 could be referred to as a "tank battle" game, wherein, as shown on a television screen 10, a tank has a landing gear with the designation object no. And object no revolving turrets represent objects No. ₀ 2 and No. ₀ 4-. The manually operable controls of the players include in player positions No. 1 and No. J control lever pairs 11a, 11b and 12a, 12b, which move the corresponding undercarriages of the tanks in a manner familiar from previously known combat games with tanks, that is, the control levers in which act in the same way as with caterpillars, a forward movement being generated by forward movement of both control levers and a rotation or turning movement being generated by opposing movement of the control levers in the correct direction.

The four numbered player positions or operator stations naturally serve to precisely control the

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speaking numbered objects. In player positions no. 2 and ITr. 4, which are used to control the turrets No. 2 and No. 4 and are therefore called GUNIISR (contactors), are the control lever pairs 13a, 13b, and 14a, 14b, the two control levers with the designation "b "Have a fire button to fire the gun in the turret. The control lever being movable to rotate the ^r fürme (objects Nos. 2, 4) opposite to each other only in direction.

This means that the tank trucks (objects ITr. 1, 3) Operating player freely move the tanks across the screen in such a way that the tanks are non-linear Follow path.

According to the invention, interaction between the tank and the turrets is experienced in such a way gescuaff '^ that the angular alignment, or more precisely the rotation of a tank landing gear causes the tank turret to rotate in a similar manner, with the movement being of the tank turret is practically a dependent variable of the movement of the tank chassis. In other words, is the total rotation of the turret is a combination the rotation of the tank landing gear and the input for the turret rotation by the gunner on the control levers 13a, b or 14a, b. Thus the two players no. 1 and 2 or no. 3 and 4 each form a team, with their coordinated teams Efforts to achieve the highest possible

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ORIGINAL INSPECTED

Skill in the game are required.

Fig. 2 illustrates a second television entertainment game in which two players drive a truck convoy with brackets and a ladder in place at 16 through the streets of a city and, as shown here, are just turning left at an intersection. In the manner known to the person skilled in the art, the streets of a city are generated by the visual display of a moving city plan or a map. The first player, who is at his operator position, controls the front steering axle of the first truck with the ladder, which is designated as object no. The ladder is referred to as object # 2, while the rear or second truck driven by the second player on the team represents object Wr ₀ 5.

In operation, object no »1 has horizontal and vertical 3 position values because it can be moved by player controls in the typical shape of a steering wheel, whereby rotation is also provided. Translational movements of the ladder and the rear truck necessarily follow the movements of the front truck. The variable controlled by the second player is rotation of the rear truck, this is in turn achieved by a steering wheel. Finally the angular position or Alignment or rotation of the ladder as object # 2 through affects all previous movements.

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ΊΟ

Thus, for example, in the actual electrical circuit or digital logic arrangement, for example in connection with a microprocessor, such a computer unit would after every translational movement in which the horizontal and vertical position _{values on the television screen for the object no n} 1 are changed horizontal and vertical position of the ladder and. of the rear truck must be calculated _{as objects no. 0 and 3.} This is done according to the following four relationships:

¹ W = H _{pos1 +}

2L00S ©

Here, 2L is the length of the ladder between the working pivot points on the front and rear trucks} the position of the ladder is taken in the middle, and & is the angle of the / "against the horizontal.

In operation, object no.1 of the game is driven, for example, using a movement step table which contains the horizontal and vertical increments of steps for each rotation in a manner known to those skilled in the art of tank combat games, and the angle & is determined from a table entry which contains the rotation values of objects 1 and J, ie the front and rear trucks.

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To pursue television entertainment games in the
Execution form according to Fig. 1 or Pig. 2, FIG _o 3 a thereof in a registration applicant disclosed and claimed circuitry represents (U.S. Ann. Serial Ho. 706,121, filed 16.7 · 1976), entitled "Method for generating a plurality of moving objects on a screen" . Ia the case of the television entertainment game according to Fig _o 1 v / ground the horizontal and vertical position values of the four objects in a direct access object memory 37 together with an address in an image memory cie 4-9
containing code stored. The image memory 4-9 contains the tank chassis and all rotary motion sequences, as well
the turrets of the tanks and all their rotations. A program memory 32 and a microprocessor 31 cause the armored landing gear to rotate, that is to say, for example, the object ITr. 1, that an image object no. 2, such as the turret, is brought up to date with the latest movement. The resulting aiming or sighting angle of the armored turret is the sum of the values
the rotation of the tank landing gear and the turret (the latter rotation, of course, by entering
of a player on the team).

In the case of the television amusement game of Fig. 2, the relationships set forth above for the movement in the
Microprocessor are running.

According to Figo 3, the microprocessor 31 receives the additions of

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Player, whereby the objects are numbered with 1 "... N. The microprocessor 31 is ^m ^ & ^βπι program memory J2 connected to create an overall control of the various logic circuits. The program memory 32 stores the horizontal and Verikaladresse darzustellender several objects and also includes any object code to an object, such as 1,2,3 · · · "where Ii ert to ^k 'can go 16 -N". The data for the vertical and the horizontal position result in the upper left corner of the object to be displayed, the rest of the object being generated by the logic circuit described below. The data for the horizontal and vertical position are read out on a data line 33 from the microprocessor 31, which is connected to three different sections 34, 35 and 36 of the random access object store 37.

The random access object memory 37 contains predetermined memory locations -I ₀ ... N for the horizontal and vertical position of the object and, in addition, for image information. The random access object memory 37 includes 3xW memory cells or storage locations. The position in memory determines the display priority of an object when more than one object occupies the same screen position. The position is represented by eight data bits, which can, however, be slightly expanded for a higher resolution. Since the physical memory location corresponds to the object code, the output address of the microprocessor 31 corresponds to the addressing of the direct access object

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Memory 37 of the object identification number. However, that carries Picture digit output from the storage section 36 Information about the rotation, which of course represents a player input.

The overall clock control of the microprocessor 31 comes from a synchronization generator unit 38 (SGU), which Outputs for vertical and horizontal synchronization signals (V and H) and vertical and horizontal blanking signals, as well as for a composite synchronization signal on v / eist, all of these signals being normal, of a television picture display correspond to assigned signals. The vertical blanking signal and the horizontal blanking signal of the synchronization generator unit 38 controls a switch 39 »the records the object identification number, as well as that of the microprocessor 31 incoming addresses, and these over an address line 4-1 switches to the direct access object memory 37.

During operation, during the vertical blanking time interval, the microprocessor 31 addresses the random access object memory 37 and writes horizontal and vertical position data and image data for any or all of the objects in these a "

During the horizontal retrace or blanking time interval of each line the random access object store 37 becomes by iaktsignale from the synchronization generator unit

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is scanned and the vertical position for each object is compared with the vertical count of the synchronization generator unit 58 compared. If the numerical value difference is within a predetermined numerical value v / ie 8, which is the corresponds to the vertical size or extent of the object to be displayed, this is done by a comparator / subtraction unit 42 sensed. This unit supplies a signal if the position is within the specified range on a line 43, via an inclusive OR gate 44 a horizontal random access memory 46.

The horizontal random access memory ¹ 46 contains at the end or already has, in itself stored, object identification numbers. In practical operation, the horizontal random access memory 46 stores in each of its possible 2 ^ 6 memory locations, which correspond to the actual physical position of the electron beam image to be displayed, five bits of data consisting of a writing character and a 4-bit object code number. The 4-bit object code provides a binary count from 0 to 15 or offers space for 16 different moving objects according to the present embodiment. The storage in the correct horizontal storage location in the horizontal random access memory 46 is achieved via a switch 47 which receives the horizontal positions from the random access object memory 37.

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As explained above, the information is stored in the horizontal random access memory 46 during the horizontal blanking time interval. If any objects stored in the vertical position lie within television picture lines from the vertical synchronization signal, then the stored horizontal position (H-Pos) (see line 48, starting from switch 47) becomes the address for the horizontal random access memory 45 The data written into the horizontal direct access memory 46 consists of the address (object code) of the direct access object memory 37, which is assigned to the first position via the address line 41 from the switch 39, here referred to as RAM 1, of the direct access memory (RAM ) is supplied, the logic voltage value ¹ M "being written into the location RAM1, which indicates that an object to be displayed is present in this horizontal position.

As explained, the random access object memory 37 is updated to the latest status during operation during the vertical retrace time interval. During horizontal rewind, the horizontal random access memory 46 is brought up to date. Finally, the following happens during the time interval for writing the television picture line: The horizontal random access memory 46 is scanned in chronological order by the horizontal synchronization signals. If the logical voltage ^{value 1} H "or the marking character for a visual display is determined in the random access memory RAM1, a character generator 51 is generated by a start

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signal (START) started. In the memory location RAM1, the logic voltage value "0" is then used for deletion is written through the gate 44, and so becomes the horizontal random access memory 46 prepared for the next line. The random access object memory 37 takes place through the object code output via switch 39 Access ,, The correct image code becomes the image memory 49 along with vertical position data. The above process is repeated line by line until a complete Image has reached the visual display, and the vertical return occurs again.

The image memory 49 defines image data when they are transferred to the character generator 51 are converted into video signals on the line 52 by a summing circuit 53. This summing circuit is compounded by the The synchronization signal is also activated and, in turn, controls the image display device 10. The image memory 49 receives the difference or the remainder of the stored Vertical position data (V-Pos), which are subtracted from the respectively activated number of vertical lines (SGUV), this Rest shows the vertical line for the object to be displayed. In addition, ^ provides the image code from the Direct access s-ob j ect memory 37 cLie object ID number along with information about the rotation. The image memory 49 is generally a programmable read-only memory, can however, also be a random access memory for easy

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Programming to change the nature of the ■ ** 'erns eh entertainment game to allow.

Thus, it is a television amusement game for game participants created in teams. Also, in a larger context, this represents a new game concept, v / o the resulting control of the game strategy, e.g. » a physical] effect v / ie the coordinated movement of Objects, in order to achieve a game purpose, a predetermined puncture of the use of all players of a certain Team is.

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Claims (1)

Claims fi.) Device for generating a large number of moving objects on a television screen, with game participants actuating manual control input devices to determine the movement of said objects, characterized in that they have at least two manual control input devices (1Ia ₁ Hb, 13a, 13bj 12a, 12b, 14a , 14b), which are located at separate locations or operator stations, each of which can be operated by at least two players who are located at the separate operator stations to determine the respective movement of two objects (1,2 3,4), and that an interactive device (31-39, 4-1-4-9 »51-53) is provided for causing the movement of one of the objects mentioned to move the other object, the two players forming a team in which their Coordinated efforts are required to maximize their game score. 809851/1037 ORIGINAL INSPECTED Accounts: Deutsche Bank AG Hamburg (BLZ 20070000) Account no. 6/10 055 Post check office Hamburg (BLZ 20010020) Account no. 262080-201 2 "Device according to claim 1, characterized in that that each of the manual control input devices has a pair of manually operable control levers (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 1Jb, 14a, 14b) for each player. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement of one object (1, 3) is non-linear. 4 _O device according to claim 1, characterized in that said predetermined object (1,2) is movable to different angular orientations, and in that said interactive device (31-39, 41-49, 51-53) causes each other the other object (3 »4) moves in a similar manner. 5 c device according to claim 1, characterized in that said manual controls (I1a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) is substantially operable only by at least two limbs of the game players. 6. Amusement game facility with a variety of physical game effects, with game participants manual control input devices to achieve the game effects actuate, characterized in that they have at least two manual control devices located at separate locations (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b), each of which by at least two game participants can be actuated while the latter are in said separate locations to produce two corresponding effects 809851/1037 at play to determine and that an interactive facility (31-39, 4-1-4-9 »51-53) is provided to effect that one of the effects is a dependent variable of the other effect of the game, such that upon formation a team from the named two teammates whose coordinated playing efforts are required to their Bring your game score to a maximum. §09851 / 1037